Back to the Pound
Two weeks later and Gary was still mad. Not because
of falling off, but because I had performed the trick without properly preparing
it. As Sarah tried to explain, it wasn't me but her, but Gary was having none
of it. He sent Sarah back in to perform, and I was left to tend the Uni's. I
was bored, tired and sick of being a scrub Mynci.
"Ya look sad," the starry Scorchio, named Qwerti,
said one morning, as I mucked out the Uni's stables. I sighed and rolled up
my shirtsleeves - they kept falling down.
"Yeah, but it can't be helped." I sighed. I saw Qwerti
shrug and smile mysteriously. "Can it?"
Qwerti looked around as if someone was listening
and lowered his voice. "I'm tryin' ta talk ta Gary 'bout lettin' you back in
the ring," he said quietly. "As a tightrope walker."
"Wow cool!" I exclaimed loudly, hurriedly dipping
my voice as Qwerti made furiously quiet motions. "Sorry," I whispered softly.
"Don't get ya hopes up yet," Qwerti replied, smiling.
"It's just a thought." With that, he left, whistling loudly as though our conversation
never happened. Through a gap into the big top, I could see Sarah ride Isabelle
round the ring, trying to get a new move. With a jolt, I realised then just
how much I missed that, and sighed.
"No use crying over split milk," I muttered and carried
on mucking out the stables.
***
"Hey Ses!" a voice said behind me. I jumped and dropped the bucket of water
I had carried from the well to the Uni's stables. Half the bucket emptied over
my feet before I grabbed the handles and pulled it upright.
"Jeff!" I said, groaning. "Look what ya made me do!"
I heard Jeff chuckle, a deep, echoing chuckle that
could bring a smile to the most sullen of faces. I turned around to see Jeff
standing before me. Jeff was a large Skunk Krawk, found one night when the circus
was travelling. Jeff had quickly rose to become a stage manager (technically,
he ran around yelling at people to 'move their butts onto the center before
I kick you there' but he always referred to himself as 'stage manager')
"Gary wanted me to tell you that he's trying you
out for tight rope walking. He said you better not make an idiot out of yourself
again, or you'll be back mucking stables 'til your 80," Jeff said, giving me
a lop sided grin.
I beamed at Jeff. "Do you reckon I should go see
him?" I asked. Jeff shrugged.
"It's up to you. He looked pretty unhappy about something
though," he replied. I tipped the bucket of water into the trough and put
the bucket down with a large clunk. I straightened up and wiped my wet hands
down my overalls. With a sigh, I decided I'd go and see Gary. Better sooner
than later.
***
"Hey Gary." I grinned, walking into the ring. Sarah was on Isabelle again,
riding swiftly round the ring, standing tall on her back, Gary was staring directly
at her, but I could tell he wasn't watching her. "Gary?" I asked hesitantly.
He looked at me, instead of the jolly eyes he usually had, they were sullen.
"You okay?"
Gary sighed and smiled half-heartily at me. "It's
not me that you should be worried about Ses," he said sadly, glancing at the
two Aisha's walking on a tightrope above us. "It's you lot."
"What do you mean?" I asked, frightened by his words.
Gary looked hesitantly at Sarah, who had stopped riding and was looking at me
with sad eyes.
"We got a call from the Council. We've got too many
pets per person. About 20 more than we should. We don't actually own many pets
Ses," Gary paused, allowing his words to sink in. "We'll be shut down unless
we find homes for you and the others."
My heart almost stopped - I knew what Gary meant.
He had to take us to the pound. "Isn't there anyway to keep us here? I don't
want to leave the circus," I said frantically thinking of a solution. I couldn't
leave the circus; I had nothing else to look forward to.
"I'm sorry Ses. Sarah and I are taking you and the
others tonight. The pets getting disowned are being informed now," Gary paused,
looking directly into my eyes. "I wish there was some other way."
'Yeah,' I thought bitterly, 'I bet.'
***
They took us in a large car to the pound. Several large cars. Alex, Jeff,
Qwerti and I were among the 'lucky' few to be chosen to be disowned. I noticed
bitterly that Gary's green Ixi was not among us. I was stupid to have trusted
Gary, I thought.
Finally, the pound loomed up in front of us, looking
tall and far scarier than I remembered it. Inside the glass double doors, I
could see Rose and Dr_Death talking quietly. They watched in mute horror as
Gary unloaded us all. 20 straggled, unhappy pets walked slowly into the bright
hall, headed bowed. Some were crying. Others, like myself, were glaring at Gary
in muted hatred. Some were bewildered - unsure of whether to be scared, angry,
upset or all of them.
"Adopt or…er, disown?" Dr_Death said. I saw his eyes
glance at me and I knew he remembered me.
"Disown," Gary said quietly. Slowly, he filled out
all our forms, signing each one with an air he was signing our death warrants.
'He might as well be,' I thought bitterly.
"I'm sorry guys," Gary said, as he finished signing
each one. He turned round and faced us. "I am really sorry. You know we wouldn't
do it if we had another option." That ended it. With an anger I hadn't felt
since Pip's last outburst, I yelled shakily.
"YEAH YOU WOULD!" Gary looked shocked as I continued,
yelling. "YOU'RE JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER OWNERS - SPINELESS. YOU JUST HATED
US!"
Gary looked sad, but my anger stopped me from caring.
With one last glare, I walked over to Dr_Death, and said, "Take me to my cage.
I don't want anything to do with people like him." I spat the last word as if
it was a disgusting swear word.
With a sigh that told all his emotions, Dr_Death
led us off, leaving Gary to watch our retreating backs. I knew I wasn't the
only one with no emotions. And I knew more were not sorry to see the last of
Gary.
***
"That girl's been here everyday since you hit her." Kayz hadn't been adopted
yet. I was taken back to an adjoining cage with her. Kayz had changed since
I was last here. She seemed tougher and took care of herself more.
"Which girl?" I asked, not really caring.
"The one with the Wocky. She's been asking about
you ya know," Kayz told me.
I shrugged. "So."
"She might adopt you," Kayz said softly. I glared
at her.
"I don't need adopting," I spat angrily. "I like
being here. No stupid backstabbing owners in sight. Remember that Kayz - no
owner is better than a backstabber. The pound's the best place for pets like
us - we know the truth!"
I saw Kayz sigh sadly and turn away.
"I think you're wrong Sesebia."
***
The girl came in at midday, the Wocky trailing behind her. I noted that the
Wocky was now Rainbow and had a scowl on her face. She stopped at the desk and
said something to Dr_Death. He nodded and pointed at my cage. She looked directly
at my cage before pulling out a large coin bag and asking something else. He
replied and the girl started counting change.
By this time, the Wocky was bored and wondered off
towards me.
"Hi, who are you then?" She asked. I ignored her
turning my back on the rainbow Wocky. She sighed and continued. "I'm Aidhru.
Ade for short actually. No one ever calls me Aidhru. That's Aizii - she's my
owner." I laughed and looked at Ade.
"Owner?" I laughed. "Owner? Owners are nothing but
backstabbers! I've never met a decent one. Start counting the day's until your
owner disowns you Wocky."
I saw Ade take in a deep breath before she replied,
"Aizii isn't like that. She's kind. You'll see."
With that the girl walked over to me, hands deep
inside the pockets of her jeans. Slowly, she undid the cage and stood back,
her eyes never leaving mine.
"Fly away if you must," she said. "But I want to
give you a home. Choose now, I won't stop you." She took a step back, allowing
me passage to the door. Dr_Death was watching us with beady eyes, waiting for
one of us to move. Slowly, I stepped out of the cage and flapped hard, hovering
at the girl's eyesight.
"You'll just disown me like the others," I said softly.
The girl shook her head.
"I'll never disown you. And that's a promise." Ade
nodded. "And I never break a promise."
With that, she walked off towards the door, Ade hovering
at her feet. I glanced at Kayz, giving her a smile that said 'I'll be back'
and flew off towards the girl. As I caught up with her, I said, "What's
your name then?"
The girl turned round and smiled at me. "Aizii."
To be continued…
Neomails
are roundly appreciated and I will personally reply to each and everyone. All
characters apart from Sesebia, Aidhru, Aizii and Drakona14 are made up and therefore,
do not belong to me. So if they are on Neopets, then they are totally irrelevant
and are not the people I refer to in my story. Thanks! | 
